Journal box



Oct.25,1938. us. BARROWS 2,134,499

J OURNAL. BOX

I Filed Dec. 28, 1934 I l l l l I I I l l I I I I l l l I I I I I I l l l l l I l I I l I I I I 307a [d 5: Barrows UNITED- TAT S PATENT orn CE v Patented Oct. 25, 1938 JOURNAL BOX 7 Donald S. Barrows, Rochester, N. Y., as'signor to The Symington-Gould Corporation,

N. Y.', a corporation of Maryland Rochester,

Application December 28, 1934, Serial N0; 759,590

Claims. (01. 308-947) This invention relates to journal boxes for railway vehicles, and, more particularly, to the construction of spring-actuated lids for such boxes.

The principal object ofmy invention, generally considered, is the ovision of an articulated journal box lid comprising a closure member, a hood orspring retainer, a torsionspring and a ball or generally spherical member which serves for connecting :the spring and hood' to the closure member While allowing for a desired articulation therebetween.

Another object ofmy invention is the provi- SiOIIOf a journal box lid with a hood or spring retainer therefor, saidvretainer being provided with apocket having a'curved surface normally partially housing the coil portions of the spring and adapted; while the parts'are being moved to normal position, to gradually stress or energizesaid springptothe, desired degree.

, A further object ofmy invention is the pro-vision of an articulated'journalbox lid in which angling orarticulation between a hood andclosure portion, of said lid, as well as necessary movement of the actuating spring is provided by a ball or spherical member normally seated on the front face of the closure member.

,Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement andconstruction of the various parts will become apparentas the description proceeds. Referring to the drawing illustrating my 'in-, vention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims: V Figure lis ,a'front elevational View of one form. of journal box lid embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional View on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking in the directio-n of the arrows,

andshowing fragmentaryportions of an associatedjour'nal box. 1 l 1 Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, there is shown a portion of a journal box I provided on its upper surface or roof 2 adjacent the forward or outer edge thereof with a hinge lug 3, which lug is apertured, as indicatedat 4, for

the vpassage of a hinge bolt orpintle 5 there through. Said lug is providedatits front, and top with fiat faces 6 and I, respectively, for cooperation with a spring-pressed portion carried by the lid 8 for holdingthe same in either open or closed position.

Theassembled lid 8 comprises a closure member 9 which, in the present embodiment, is shown:

, formed of pressed metal and provided with loops or cars It and I! through which the pintle 5 lidflequalizing member 29.

passes, whereby the same is maintained in hinged relation with respect to thejournal box. The apertures through the loops l0 and I I I are desirably elongated transversely with respect to the closure member 9 so as to allowsome playto in-' sure the acourateseating of the lid on thebox. A spring retainer or hood I2 is formed with cooperating ear, or loop portions l3 and I4, also receiving the 'pintle or hinge pin 5 for pivotally connecting said retainer to the journal box, and also-to the closure member 9; v

A spring i5 is provided between the retainer or hood l2 and the closure member 9,.whereby the same is held instressed or energized position. Said spring is preferably of the torsion type and comprisesa plurality of coiled portions I6 and il between which, on a generally straight portion is ofsaid spring, is preferably. mounted a roller or other antifriction device I9, which engages the hinge lug 3 and alternately presses against the faces Grand 1- thereofnwhen the lid-is in closed and open positions, 7 respectively. The ends of the spring extend downwardly where they are bent toward each other and received in an aperture, receptacle; or sockets in aball or spherical The ball 29 is held in position in a pocket 2! in the outer face of the closure member 9 by means of a clip or retainer 22 riveted or otherwise connected to the outer face of said closure member, as indicated at 23, and formed with a spherical portion 24 cooperat ing with the pocket 2! for housing the lid equal izing ball 20, while allowing equalizing movement thereof. The hood or springretainer I2 is curved at. its lower portion, as indicated fit over the clip 22.

In order to maintainthe coils l6 and H of the spring 15 in properralinement and provide for energizing said spring, the outer wall of the re-: tainer or hood I2- is desirably formed with, a pocket 2% receiving. "and partially housing the outer portions of said coils, the end walls 27 and 28 defining said pocket being desirably inclined to correspond with the adjacent coils, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 1, and lying closely adjacent to said coils to prevent any material shifting thereof from normalposition. On account of the curvature of the wall defining said pocket, said wall serves as a cam for graduallystressing the springto the desired energized condition during assembly, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. .t c i In order to preventlifting of the closure member!) with respect to thehoodlZ, said hood is desirably formedwithan inwardly extending lug at 25, to snugly 1 or flange 29, which may be part of an angular clip 30, welded or otherwise connected to the inner face of the hood l2, and with its innermost portion received in a corrugation or elongated pocket 3| in the closure member 9 and normally lying closely adjacent and above the ball 20, whereby undesired upward movement of saidclosure member with respect to said hood is prevented.

By reason of the angle which spring l5 makes with the closure member 9, as shown in Fig. 2, there is a vertical force component which tends to lift the closure member vertically with reference to the hood l2, thereby causing the scrolls or ears H to bear hard against the underside of the pin 5. By attaching the clip 29 to the hood l2 and causing this to bear against the top of the ball 20, this upward movement of the closure member relative to the hood i2 is prevented, thereby making it easier to operate the lid and relieving the pin of undesired bending strains.

The closure member 9 is desirably stiffened by means of corrugations 32 and the pin or pintle 5 may be prevented from undesired loss after application by tabs 33 and 34 which normally overlie the ends thereof and are adapted to be bent to and from retaining positions.

A preferred method of assembly of the parts of the articulated lid heretofore described is to first fasten the ball 20 to the front face of the closure member 9 by riveting the clip 22 in place over said ball, said spring I5 being assembled with the ball either before or after this operation by spreading the lower ends until the bent trunnion portions 35 can be slipped into the hole in said ball, when said bent portions will spring together to the position illustrated in Figure 1. The foregoing covers the entire shop assembly operation.

For application to the box, the lid with the spring depending therefrom is simply laid in position, said spring swung up until the roller l9 rests against the hinge lug. The separate hood I2 is then dropped over the spring and the holes in its ears l3 and I4 carefully aligned with the lug hole and with the scrolls l and II on the lid proper. The hinge pin is then passed through the entire series of holes and held in place by the tabs 33 and 34.

At this stage, the spring I5 is not under stress, and the hood sticks out at a considerable angle from the lid. Pressure is then applied to the free end 25 of said hood and it is forced down until the coils l6 of the spring snap into the pocket 26 in the hood. The spring pressure then holds all parts in final position. To disassemble, it is merely necessary to pry up the lower end 25 of the hood I2 which relieves the spring and allows all the parts to be easily removed.

Although a preferred embodiment of my inven tion has been illustrated, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with a pocket in its outer face, a ball seated in said pocket, a clip riveted to said closure member and nesting over said ball for holding it in place, a spring lying over the face of said closure member and with lower end portions secured to said ball, and a hood covering said spring and held in place thereby.

2. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with a pocket in its outer face. a ball seated in said pocket, a spring pivotally secured to said ball and comprising a portion formed as a series of coils, and a hood covering said spring and formed with a pocket nesting over said coils, the relation between the coils and the pocketed portion being such that when the hood is in position over said spring it is held in place thereby.

3. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with a pocket in its outer face, a ball seated in said pocket, a spring pivotally secured to said ball, a hood covering said spring and formed with an inwardly opening pocket receiving a portion thereof, and a flange extending inwardly from the inner face of said hood, overlying said ball, and with an end portion thereof received in a pocket in the front face of said closure member,

4. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with a pocket in its outer face, a ball nesting in said pocket, a spring directly secured to said ball, and a hood covering said spring, said ball being held in place by a separately formed clip detachably secured to said closure member and nesting over said ball, and said hood having its lower portion formed to nest over said clip.

5. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a closure member of a lid assembly pivotally connected thereto, a spring retainer pivotally connected to said lug, a torsion spring positioned between said retainer and closure member and comprising coil portions seated on said retainer and adapted to exert pressure against said lug and lower end portions bent toward one another to form trunnion means, a lid equalizing ball connected to said spring, by receiving said trunnion means in an aperture therein, and secured to the front face of said closure member with provision for turning, said retainer having a curved portion which acts as a cam for gradually stressing said spring when said hood is swung about its connection with the lug toward said closure member, said curved portion being so formed that when the spring is stressed to the desired extent, it acts to hold said retainer in normal position with respect to said closure member.

6. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with an outwardly opening pocket, a lidequalizing ball seated in said pocket, a ball retainer secured to said closure member and nesting over said ball for holding it in place while allowing free rotation thereof, a spring lying over the face of said closure member and with lower end portions pivotally fitting in a corresponding receptacle in said ball, and a hood covering said spring and ball retainer and pivoted to said closure member.

7. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with an outwardly opening pocket, a ball seated in said pocket, a spring with lower end portions bent toward one another and forming journal means on which said ball is adapted to rotate, a hood covering said spring and formed with an inwardly opening pocket nestingly receiving aportion thereof, and means extending inwardly from the inner face of said hood and overlying said ball to prevent upward movement thereof,

8. A journal box lid assembly comprising a closure member formed with a pocket in its outer face, a ball seated in said pocket and formed with a receptacle, a spring having lower horizontal trunnion portions pivotally mounted in said receptacle adapted to urge said ball into said pocket,

and a hood covering said spring and formed with an inwardlyopening pocket receiving a portion of said spring for holding the closure member assembled therewith,

9. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a closure member pivotally connected disaid ball in said pocket.

10. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assembly pivotally connected thereto and comprising a closure member, a hood, a spring, having lower horizontal trunnion portions, positioned between said hood and closure member, and a ball, with a receptacle in which said trunnion portions are pivoted, and free'to move with respect to said hood, said closure member having a pocket receiving said ball, and means connected to said closure member for holding 1 said ball in said pocket.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

